Coping
by teammccord
Summary: "Look at the stars, look how they shine for you." A little post ep. to "Invasive Species."


_A/N: I know I posted today already, but that episode was so amazing, I just couldn't help it! Also, most of my other story is not too far off from reality, and I'm kinda proud of that :)_

* * *

The McCords arrived back in DC that afternoon, and busied themselves with unpacking their bags and trying to get settled into normal life again. Elizabeth was swooped away into the office immediately, to deal with the "Invasive Species" report, as her staff had nicknamed it. She had a few choice words for Russell Jackson once Nadine briefed her about the classified paragraph, but other than that, no major crises had come up and Elizabeth was grateful.

She got home around nine, late for most, but her family was used to her showing up at ungodly hours. The kids were in their rooms doing homework, and she'd eaten dinner at the office, so all she really wanted to do was go upstairs, kick off her heels, and snuggle up with Henry in their bed. She grabbed them both a glass of scotch and made her way upstairs, opening the bedroom door to the soft sound of a guitar. She found Henry sitting crosslegged on the bed, his guitar on his lap, playing mindless melodies as he stared off into the distance. She set the scotch down on the dresser and walked over to the bed, sitting at its foot and watching Henry intently. He didn't seem to notice her, to lost in the music, so she placed a hand on his leg and said: "Hey babe. How are you holding up?"

"Hi, I didn't even notice you come in. Everything okay at work?"

"Yeah, I had to yell at Russell for a little bit, but what's new about that? Otherwise, they held up the fort when I was gone, so the world is crisis free, at least for now. What are you playing?"

"Oh, I don't even know. I just saw the guitar when I walked in and couldn't help but think of my dad buying it for me, saying: 'Son, treat this guitar right, and learn all you can, and maybe you'll impress a girl with it someday.'" He chuckled at the memory, and set the guitar at his side, opening his arms to invite Elizabeth into his embrace. Grateful, she curled up next to him and smiled.

"I remember it took you months to actually show me the guitar, I think I even found it on accident, in your apartment. You were way to embarrassed to play anything, and I believe I had to bribe you, Dr. McCord, with unspeakable things, until you caved and played 'Fire and Rain' by James Taylor. It's been my favourite song ever since." She leant up to kiss him, and he met her halfway, snaking one hand around her waist while the other tangled in her hair. When they came up for air, he smiled at her, clearly remembering that day.

"It's been mine too, Elizabeth. I just want to thank you again for putting up with everyone in Pittsburg, especially Maureen."

"Henry, I was telling Stevie this before we left, but I'm happy you have such a close-knit family. Sure, they can be loud, and maybe a bit obnoxious, but I wouldn't want them any other way. Trust me when I say this, but a crazy family is much better than silence during the holidays, when it's just you and your brother, and your aunt and uncle are off at some fancy reception. So I'm grateful you have them all, even if Maureen is a little rough around the edges."

"Babe, I swear you always know the right thing to say. I love you, you know that?"

"I know, Henry, and I love you too. I love you and our own loud, rambunctious little family, and I wouldn't want them to change for the world either. I mean, Stevie's finally back at college and on track again, Alison may end up in California for all we know, and Jason, well, he might be the one still living with his parents when he's thirty, running some conspiracy blog from the basement. We sure aren't perfect, but we stick together, and that's all that matters."

"We're Team McCord babe, and I love us."

"Hey, speaking of college, do you think you could recruit any of your nieces or nephews to go to UVA? Help the McCord Wahoo tradition live on?"

Henry laughed at this, and pulled his wife close. "I'll try my best."

"Oh, hey, I completely forgot I brought scotch," Elizabeth exclaimed, extricating herself from Henry's embrace to retrieve the glasses from the dresser. Sinking back down on the bed, she handed one to her husband, and raised hers in a toast. "To Patrick McCord." Henry nodded, and they both downed their scotch, setting the glasses on their respective nightstands.

With a thoughtful expression on her face, Elizabeth leant over to look at her husband. "You know, Henry, there's one thing I definitely won't miss about Pittsburgh."

"What's that?"

"I know your childhood bedroom is nostalgic and all, but it's a twin bed, for crying out loud! I hate that one of us always has to sleep on that blow-up mattress thingy. I missed sharing a bed with you." She shot Henry a coy look, unsure of what he was feeling up for.

To her surprise, he flipped them both so he was on top of her, and bent down to capture her lips in a kiss, all the while slipping one of her hands in his as he used the other to cup her cheek. "I missed it too," he replied huskily as their kiss broke, and he hovered above her, grinning.

"Then how 'bout we make up for lost time," she flirted, arching herself up to his touch, craving the warmth of his skin on hers. Their lips crashed together again, and he ran his hand under her sweater, exploring the soft skin of her abdomen. She tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer, and let out a moan. Elizabeth started to unbutton his shirt, running her hands up and down his chest, and she flipped them so she was on top, and was able to straddle Henry. He looked up at her with a mixture of lust and adoration in his eyes, and she bent down to kiss him again. She pulled her sweater off over her head, leaving her in just her bra, and watched as Henry's eyes grew wide, loving the fact that she still had the same effect on him after 26 years of marriage. Clothes were shed quickly, and Elizabeth and Henry did indeed make up for lost time, in the best way possible.

They collapsed in next to each other, and Henry pulled her into his arms, tugging the sheets up to cover their naked bodies. "Damn, Henry, that was…" she began, lost for words. Sex with Henry was always amazing, but some nights were definitely more special than others.

"No words?" he teased. "Are we just that good at this?"

Elizabeth smacked his chest playfully, and replied: "Yes, we are, we'd established that a long time ago. And didn't you say that the first time we kissed, and had sex? Are you on a trip down memory lane, professor?"

"Always, darlin'. You know me, I'm the sentimental one."

"That you are."

"To completely change the subject, I'm glad Stevie got a hold of Will, and that he's doing well. I wish he was closer, or at least closer to Sophie and Annie, but your brother's always been a free spirit."

"Oh, I know. And I'm glad too. Sophie actually emailed me last week, said she fund out his layover in London was my doing, and thanked me. I know she knew what she was getting herself into, marrying Will, but Annie, well she didn't really have much of a choice in the matter. I told them they have an open invitation to our house, if they're ever in DC. I hope that's okay with you."

"Of course it is, babe. They're welcome any time. I know the girls love Annie."

"That they do. Hey Henry, will you play me something?" she asked, looking to the guitar on the bench by the bed, placed there by Henry so it wouldn't be crushed when they 'made up for lost time.'

"Of course, darlin'," Henry replied, slipping out from under the sheets to pull on his boxers and a t-shirt, and to pass Elizabeth something to wear as well. She pulled on the sweatshirt and pyjama pants and snuggled up to the pillows, watching as Henry sat crosslegged on the foot of their bed and began to play.

 _"Look at the stars,_

 _Look how they shine for you,_

 _And everything you do,_

 _Yeah, they were all yellow._

 _I came along,_

 _I wrote a song for you,_

 _And all the things you do,_

 _And it was called "Yellow"_ _._ _"_

Elizabeth listened to his voice as he finished the song, low and raspy, singing to no one but her. She felt tears well in her eyes, and when he looked up at the end, she got on her knees and crossed the bed to kiss him fiercely. "It's true babe," he said when their kiss broke. "All those stars out there, they're shining because every single day, you work to make this world a better place for everyone in it. And I love you so, so much for that."

"I love you too Henry, more than you'll ever know. And, in case I haven't said, this, I admire you so much for being so strong these past few days. It will get better, you know, and in the meantime, all those stars up there — they're shining for you too, you and your unfailing ethics, and all the sacrifices you've made these past few months."

"C'mere, Elizabeth Adams McCord," Henry said, and pulled both of them under the covers again. He switched off the lights and turned to his wife in the darkness, placing a quick kiss on her lips. He wrapped his arms around her, and no words were needed to feel the love they both shared as they fell asleep together.

* * *

 _A/N: I hope you liked it! The song was "Yellow," by Coldplay by the way — it's my favourite song in the whole world._


End file.
